The International Pasteurellaceae Society (IPS) is organizing the Pasteurellaceae 2008 Conference, to be held in Sorrento, Italy October 12th-15th at the Hilton Sorrento Palace Hotel. IPS scientists meet every 3-5 years to promote further research on the Pasteurellaceae. The main objectives of this conference are to 1) promote information exchange regarding recent research conducted on members of the family Pasteurellaceae; 2) foster interaction and collaboration between academic and private sector scientists involved in basic, clinical, and taxonomic research on these animal and human pathogens; 3) provide a forum for new investigators to interact with established investigators, and encourage continued work in this field by young researchers. [unreadable] [unreadable] Although the majority of species in the Family Pasteurellaceae are animal pathogens, the inclusion of investigators who work on human pathogens has greatly increased progress on all species through the exchange of information. Interactions with investigators from the private sector have been essential to promote development of vaccines, diagnostics tests, and therapeutics and funding for academic scientists. An important goal of this meeting is to serve as an opportunity for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to interact with established scientists in the field, and to promote their continued work on this group of bacteria. [unreadable] [unreadable] This meeting has relevance to many infectious diseases of global significance, including chronic bronchopulmonary infections, sepsis, meningitis, sexually transmitted diseases, otitis media, and dental/periodontal infections. In addition to brining together clinicians and basic scientists working on these organisms, the meeting also attracts a significant contingent of veterinary microbiologists working with animal diseases sharing pathophysiology with the human agents. Thus, this meeting bridges multiple disciplines to provide opportunity for exchange and development of ideas. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]